U.S. patent application number 14/912449 was filed with the patent office on 2016-07-07 for gesture enabled simultaneous selection of range and value.
The applicant listed for this patent is KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.. Invention is credited to Jurrien Carl GOSSELINK, Niels LAUTE.
Application Number | 20160196042 14/912449 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49223597 |
Filed Date | 2016-07-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160196042 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LAUTE; Niels ; et
al. |
July 7, 2016 |
GESTURE ENABLED SIMULTANEOUS SELECTION OF RANGE AND VALUE
Abstract
A method, gesture input devices and a computer program product
are provided for gesture enabled simultaneous selection of range
and value. A user makes a gesture with two fingers (210, 220) to
select a range of values (e.g. one of a range of seconds, minutes
or hours) and select a value from this selected range of values
(e.g. if the selected range of values is hours, a value between
00-23 hours). The gesture is captured using a camera based input
device or a touch input device, which detects two user input
contact points (230, 240). The distance (250) between these two
user input contact points (230, 240) determines the selected range
of values. The selection of the value from this selected range of
values is determined by an angle (280) between two imaginary lines
(250, 270). The first imaginary line (250) is the line between the
first (230) and second (240) user input contact point. The second
imaginary line (270) is the line between an imaginary anchor point
(260) and the first user input contact point (230). The distance
(250) between the two fingers (210, 220) allows the user to select
a range, and rotating the second finger (220) in relation to the
first finger (210) allows the user to select a value, within the
selected range, as user input.
Inventors: |
LAUTE; Niels; (Venlo,
NL) ; GOSSELINK; Jurrien Carl; (Lichtenvoorde,
NL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. |
Eindhoven |
|
NL |
|
|
Family ID: |
49223597 |
Appl. No.: |
14/912449 |
Filed: |
September 16, 2014 |
PCT Filed: |
September 16, 2014 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2014/069704 |
371 Date: |
February 17, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/845 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/0304 20130101;
G06F 3/04847 20130101; G06F 3/04883 20130101; G06F 3/0482 20130101;
G06F 3/041 20130101; G06F 3/04842 20130101; G06F 2203/04104
20130101; G06F 3/017 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/0484 20060101
G06F003/0484; G06F 3/041 20060101 G06F003/041; G06F 3/01 20060101
G06F003/01; G06F 3/03 20060101 G06F003/03; G06F 3/0482 20060101
G06F003/0482; G06F 3/0488 20060101 G06F003/0488 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 17, 2013 |
EP |
13184772.5 |
Claims
1. A method for receiving as user input a value, the method
comprising the steps of: detecting, via a gesture input device, a
user input contact point, in an imaginary plane; determining a
distance, in the imaginary plane, between a reference point and the
user input contact point; determining an angle, in the imaginary
plane, between a first imaginary line from the reference point to
the user input contact point and a second imaginary line from the
reference point to a predefined imaginary anchor point in the
imaginary plane; selecting a range of values, from a set of such
ranges of values, based on the determined distance; and selecting
as user input a value, within the selected range of values, based
on the determined angle, characterized in that said reference point
is an additional user input contact point, the additional user
input contact point and the user input contact point respectively
defining a first and a second user input contact point.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture input device is a
touch input device arranged to detect at least two simultaneous
touch inputs; and wherein the first and the second user input
contact point in the imaginary plane are respectively a first and
second user input physical contact point on the touch input
device.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture input device is an
image based input device arranged to capture an image to detect a
user's hand gesture; and wherein the first and the second user
input contact point in the imaginary plane are respectively the
position of the intersection of the imaginary plane and a first and
second finger of the user in an image captured by a camera of the
image based input device as determined through analysis of the
captured image by the image based input device.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting
a movement of the second user input contact point from a first
location to a second location; wherein for the step of selecting a
range of values, from a set of such ranges of values, the first
location or the second location is taken as the second user input
contact point in determining the distance; and wherein for the step
of selecting as user input a value, within the selected range of
values, the second location or the first location, respectively, is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
angle.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
detecting a first movement of the second user input contact point
from a first location to a second location; and detecting a second
movement of the second user input contact point from a second
location to a third location; wherein for the step of selecting a
range of values, from a set of such ranges of values, the second
location or the third location is taken as the second user input
contact point in determining the distance; and wherein for the step
of selecting as user input a value, within the selected range of
values, the third location or the second location, respectively is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
angle.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein detecting the first movement ends
and detecting the second movement starts when at least one of the
following occurs: a pause in the detected movement, a variation in
speed of the detected movement, a variation in the direction of the
detected movement, and a change in pressure in the detected second
user input contact point.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting as a user
input a value is delayed until at least one of the user input
contact points is no longer detected.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting as a user
input a value is skipped, cancelled, reversed or a default value is
selected when at least one of the following occurs: the calculated
distance is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the calculated
distance is larger than a predetermined threshold, the calculated
angle is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the calculated
angle is larger than a predetermined threshold, the duration of the
detection of the first or the second user input contact point is
smaller than a predetermined threshold, and the duration of the
detection of the first or second user input contact point is
greater than a predetermined threshold.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of generating
a user interface for displaying a visual representation of at least
one range of values, from the set of such ranges of values or at
least one value within said range.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user interface comprises a
plurality of displayed elements, at least partially surrounding the
first user input contact point, each of said displayed elements
representing at least part of at least one range of values from the
set of such ranges of values.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting
at least one additional user input contact point in the virtual
plane; wherein the granularity of values in at least one range of
values, from the set of such ranges, from which a value can be
selected as user input is based on the number of user input contact
points detected.
12. A touch input device for receiving as user input a value, the
device comprising: a touch sensitive screen; and a processor,
coupled to the touch sensitive screen, and arranged to detect
multiple user input contact points; wherein the processor is
further arranged to perform the steps of the method of claim 1.
13. An image based input device for receiving as user input a
value, the device comprising: a camera for capturing an image; and
a processor, coupled to the camera, and arranged for receiving and
processing the image to detect multiple user input contact points;
wherein the processor is further arranged to perform the steps of
the method of claim 1.
14. A computer program product for receiving as user input a value,
comprising software code portions for performing the steps of claim
1, when the computer program product is executed on a computer.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to methods, devices
and computer program products for receiving user input and
specifically to methods and computer program products for receiving
user input via a gesture input device and to gesture input
devices.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Gesture based input is widely implemented in touch input
devices, such as smart phones with a touch sensitive screen.
Gesture based input via a camera is also known, for example from
U.S. Pat. No. 6,600,475. Such gesture based input allows a user to
toggle a switch (to select an ON value or an OFF value), select a
setting (e.g. mute or unmute) or select a value (e.g. select a city
name from a list of city names), etc. Typically, the selection of
the value is performed by the user in combination with a user
interface being displayed. This provides a user feedback, for
example, by displaying buttons that determine which gesture the
user can input (e.g. a slide gesture to toggle a button between an
OFF and an ON value). Other gestures, such as a pinch gesture or a
rotate gesture, can be made anywhere on the touch sensitive screen
of a smart phone to respectively decrease or increase the size of
what is displayed (e.g. enlarge an image or increase a font size)
or rotate what is displayed (e.g. from a portrait to a landscape
mode). Given that gesture input devices play an ever larger role in
a person's life, there is a need for a more user intuitive method
of providing user input through a gesture input device.
[0003] EP2442220 discloses a system and a method wherein a
selection of an input data field is detected. In response to the
selection of the input data field, a user interface having an inner
concentric circle and an outer concentric circle is generated. A
contact point corresponding to a location of a touch gesture
submitted via a touch-enabled input device within one of the inner
concentric circle and the outer concentric circle is detected. An
angular velocity of circular movement from the contact point around
one of the concentric circles is measured. An input data value is
adjusted at a granularity based on the contact point and at a rate
based on the measured angular velocity of circular movement.
[0004] DE102011084802 relates to a display and operating device
having a touch sensitive display field by means of which the
parameters of a parameter vector can be changed. In order to set
the parameters, a structure made of the circular or annular
elements is used, on the circumference of which a corresponding
contact element is positioned. Using the position of the contact
element on the circumference of the ring element, the value of the
parameter is coded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
method, gesture input devices and a computer program product
enabling a more user intuitive method of providing user input. In a
first aspect of the invention, a method for selecting as user input
a value is provided, the method comprising the steps of: detecting,
via a gesture input device, a first user input contact point, in an
imaginary plane; detecting, via the gesture input device, a second
user input contact point, in the imaginary plane; determining a
distance, in the imaginary plane, between the first user input
contact point and the second user input contact point; determining
an angle, in the imaginary plane, between an first imaginary line
from the first user input contact point to the second user input
contact point and an second imaginary line from the first user
input contact point to a predefined imaginary anchor point in the
imaginary plane; selecting a range of values, from a set of such
ranges of values, based on the determined distance; and selecting
as user input a value, within the selected range of values, based
on the determined angle. The method enables a user to
simultaneously select a range and value through a gesture.
[0006] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the gesture input device is a touch input device arranged to detect
at least two simultaneous touch inputs; and wherein the first and
the second user input contact point in the imaginary plane are
respectively a first and second user input contact point on the
touch input device.
[0007] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the gesture input device is an image based input device arranged to
capture an image to detect a user's hand gesture; and wherein the
first and the second user input contact point in the imaginary
plane are respectively the position of a first and second finger as
determined through analysis of the image captured by the image
based input device.
[0008] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the method further comprises the step of detecting a movement of
the second user input contact point from a first location to a
second location; wherein for the step of selecting a range of
values, from a set of such ranges of values, the first location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
distance; and wherein for the step of selecting as user input a
value, within the selected range of values, the second location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
angle.
[0009] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the method further comprises the step of detecting a movement of
the second user input contact point from a first location to a
second location; wherein for the step of selecting a range of
values, from a set of such ranges of values, the second location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
distance; and wherein for the step of selecting as user input a
value, within the selected range of values, the first location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
angle.
[0010] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the method further comprises the steps of: detecting a first
movement of the second user input contact point from a first
location to a second location; and detecting a second movement of
the second user input contact point from a second location to a
third location; wherein for the step of selecting a range of
values, from a set of such ranges of values, the second location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
distance; and wherein for the step of selecting as user input a
value, within the selected range of values, the third location is
taken as the second user input contact point in determining the
angle.
[0011] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the method further comprises the steps of: detecting a first
movement of the second user input contact point from a first
location to a second location; detecting a second movement of the
second user input contact point from a second location to a third
location; wherein for the step of selecting a range of values, from
a set of such ranges of values, the third location is taken as the
second user input contact point in determining the distance; and
wherein for the step of selecting as a user input a value, within
the selected range of values, the second location is taken as the
second user input contact point in determining the angle.
[0012] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
detecting the first movement ends and detecting the second movement
starts when any one of the following occurs: a pause in the
detected movement, a variation in speed of the detected movement, a
variation in the direction of the detected movement and/or a change
in pressure in the detected second user input contact point.
[0013] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the step of selecting as a user input a value is delayed until at
least one of the user input contact points is no longer
detected.
[0014] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the step of selecting as a user input a value is skipped,
cancelled, reversed or a default value is selected when any one of
the following occurs: the calculated distance is smaller than a
predetermined threshold or the calculated distance is larger than a
predetermined threshold; and/or the calculated angle is smaller
than a predetermined threshold or the calculated angle is larger
than a predetermined threshold; and/or the duration of the
detection of the first and/or second user input contact point is
smaller than a predetermined threshold or the duration of the
detection of the first and/or second user input contact point is
greater than a predetermined threshold.
[0015] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the step of generating a user interface for displaying a visual
representation of at least one range of values, from the set of
such ranges of values or at least one value within said range.
[0016] In a further embodiment of the method according to the
invention, the user interface comprises a plurality of displayed
elements, at least partially surrounding the first user input
contact point, each of said displayed elements representing at
least part of at least one range of values from the set of such
ranges of values.
[0017] In an embodiment of the method according to the invention,
the method further comprises the step of detecting at least one
additional user input contact point in the virtual plane; wherein
the granularity of values in at least one range of values, from the
set of such ranges, from which a value can be selected as user
input is based on the number of user input contact points
detected.
[0018] In a second aspect of the invention, a touch input device
for receiving as user input a value is provided, the touch input
device comprising: a touch sensitive screen; and a processor,
coupled to the touch sensitive screen, arranged to detect multiple
user input contact points; wherein the processor is further
arranged to perform the steps of any of the methods of the first
aspect of the invention.
[0019] In a third aspect of the invention, an image based input
device for receiving as user input a value is provided, the image
based input device comprising: a camera for capturing an image; and
a processor, coupled to the camera, for receiving the image and
processing the image to detect multiple user input contact points;
wherein the processor is further arranged to perform the steps of
any of the methods of the first aspect of the invention.
[0020] In a fourth aspect of the invention, a computer program
product for receiving as user input a value is provided, the
computer program product comprising software code portions for
performing the steps of any of the methods of the first aspect of
the invention, when the computer program product is executed on a
computer.
[0021] It shall be understood that the method, the gesture input
devices and the computer program product have similar and/or
identical preferred embodiments, in particular, as defined in the
dependent claims. It shall be understood that a preferred
embodiment of the invention can also be any combination of the
dependent claims with the respective independent claim.
[0022] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent
from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described
hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] In the following figures:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows, schematically and exemplarily, a method for
receiving as user input a value, according to the first aspect of
the invention;
[0025] FIG. 2 shows, schematically and exemplarily, an imaginary
plane with first and second user input contact points, according to
the method of the invention;
[0026] FIG. 3A, 3B show, schematically and exemplarily, an
imaginary plane with first user input contact point and moving
second user input contact point, according to the method of the
invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 shows, schematically and exemplarily, an image based
input device for receiving as user input a value, according to the
method of the invention;
[0028] FIG. 5 shows, schematically and exemplarily, a touch input
device for receiving as user input a value, according to the method
of the invention; and
[0029] FIG. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D show, schematically and exemplarily, a
user providing as user input a value via a touch input device,
according to the method of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of the steps of an
embodiment of the method 100 according to the invention. In a first
step 110 a first user input contact point, in an imaginary plane,
is detected via a gesture input device. The imaginary plane can be
the surface of a touch input device, such as the touch sensitive
screen of a tablet computer or similar device (e.g. a smart phone,
laptop, smart whiteboard or other device with a touch sensitive
area). The contact point can then be a physical contact point; the
location where a user touches the touch sensitive screen. As
another example, the contact point can be the intersection of an
imaginary plane and the user's fingertip, in an image captured by a
camera. The user can then make a gesture towards a camera after
which image processing determines the location of the user input
contact point in the imaginary plane. The method is therefore
applicable to touch input devices, image based input devices, as
well as other types of gesture input devices.
[0031] In a second step 120, similar to the first step 110, a
second user input contact point is detected. The (location of
these) first and second user input contact points in the imaginary
plane are input for the next steps.
[0032] In a third step 130, the distance (in the imaginary plane)
between the first and second user input contact point is
determined. The fourth step 140 comprises determining an angle
between two imaginary lines. The first imaginary line is the line
that runs from the first to the second user input contact point.
The second imaginary line runs from a predefined imaginary anchor
point in the imaginary plane to the first user input contact point.
The location of the imaginary anchor point can relate to, for
example, a user interface that is displayed on a touch sensitive
screen of a tablet computer, or the shape of a room which is
captured in the background of an image of a user making a gesture
towards a camera.
[0033] The fifth step 150 takes the distance determined in the
third step 130 and selects a range of values, from a set of such
ranges of values, based on this distance. From this range of
values, a value is selected as user input in the sixth step 160.
The value selected as user input is based on the angle determined
in the fourth step 140. A user can therefore in a single gesture,
through at least two user input contact points simultaneously
provide a range and a value within this range in order to provide
as user input a value. As an example, the range of values selected
can be hours (e.g. a range of 0-24 hours) if the determined
distance is equal to or more than a value A (e.g. 1 centimeter, 40
pixels, 10 times the width of the user input contact point) and
minutes (e.g. a range of 0-59 minutes) if it is less than A. If, in
this example, the determined distance is less than A, an angle of 5
degrees can relate to the value `5 minutes` whereas an angle of 10
degrees can relate to the value `15 minutes`. The range of values
selected and the value selected as user input could however be any
(range of) values, such as, numerical values (e.g. ranges `1, 2, 3,
. . . `; `10, 20, 30, . . . `; `100, 200, 300, . . . `) color
points (e.g. `light green, dark green`, `light blue, dark blue`,
`light red, dark red`), movie review related values (e.g. `1 star
rating . . . 5 star rating`, `action, comedy, documentary, . . .
`), etc.
[0034] The method can be implemented in combination with a
menu-like user interface (an example of which is provided in FIG.
6A, 6B, 6C, 6D), yet also without such a user interface. Given the
extraordinary simplicity of the gesture and the very intuitive
manner in which this allows a user to simultaneously select a range
and a value within that range, the method enables `blind control`.
A surgeon can dim the general lighting or increase the brightness
of task lighting in the operating room, equipped with an image
based input device, using this gesture and not look away from the
patient. In this example, the surgeon simply knows where the camera
is and makes the gesture towards it or the surgeon performs the
gesture on a touch sensitive area embedded in a table present in
the operating room. Clockwise movement of the hand dims up,
counterclockwise dims down and a small distance between the first
and second user input contact point (e.g. when the surgeon uses a
thumb and index finger) controls the general lighting and a large
distance (e.g. thumb and pinky finger) controls the task
lighting.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows an imaginary plane 200 with a first finger 210
and a second finger 220 providing a first user input contact point
230 and a second user input contact point 240 in the imaginary
plane 200, as per an embodiment of the method according to the
invention. As an example, FIG. 2 could be a bottom-up view of the
imaginary plane 200 as seen through the touch sensitive screen of a
tablet computer (not shown), or the image as captured by a camera
(not shown) towards which the user is making a gesture.
[0036] The imaginary line 250 between the first user contact point
230 and the second user contact point 240 is the basis for
selecting a range of values from a set of such ranges of values.
The length of this line, in the imaginary plane 200, determines
which range of values is selected. The predefined imaginary anchor
point 260 can be located anywhere in the imaginary plane 200. As an
example, the predefined imaginary anchor point 260 can relate to a
point displayed in a user interface via the touch sensitive screen
of a tablet computer. As another example, the predefined imaginary
anchor point 260 can relate to a physical feature of the touch
sensitive screen of a smartphone such as one of the corners of the
screen. As yet another example, the predefined imaginary anchor
point 260 can relate to a horizontal line detected in an image
captured by a camera towards which the user is making a gesture
(e.g. the intersection of the detected horizontal line, such as the
corner between floor and wall, and the edge of the captured image).
The angle 280 between an imaginary line 270 between the predefined
imaginary anchor point 260 and the first user contact point 230,
and the imaginary line 250 between the first user contact point 230
and the second user contact point 240, is the basis for selecting a
value out of the selected range of values.
[0037] Determining what is the first 230 and second 240 user input
contact point can be based on which user input contact point 230,
240 is detected first (e.g. where the user first touches a touch
sensitive screen of a tablet computer), which user input contact
point 230, 240 is closest to the edge of the touch sensitive screen
of the tablet computer, or closest to a displayed menu item on the
touch sensitive screen. Other examples comprise the left most user
input contact point or the most stationary user input contact point
being detected as the first user input contact point 230.
[0038] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an embodiment of the method
according to the invention wherein the user moves 300 his second
finger 220 (e.g. across the touch sensitive screen). In this
example, the second finger 220 moving results in the second user
input contact point 240 moving from a first location 310 to a
second location 360. The distance 320, 370 between the first user
input contact point 230 and the second user input contact point 240
remains the same in this example. The angle 340, 380 between the
imaginary line 330 between the predefined imaginary anchor point
260 and the first user contact point 230, and the imaginary line
320, 370 between the first user contact point 230 and the second
user contact point 240 changes however. In this example, the user
therefore selects a range of values from a set of such ranges of
values and then changes the selection of the value from this
selected range of values by moving the second user contact point
340 from the first location 310 to the second location 360.
[0039] In various embodiments, movement of the first 230 and/or
second 240 user input contact point(s) are detected. As a first
example, the first location 310 where the user puts down his second
finger 220 can be the basis for determining the distance 320 and
the second location 360 the basis for determining the angle 380.
This allows a user to select a range first (e.g. `days` selected
from the set of ranges `days`, `months`, `years`) and then freely
change the distance 370 between the first 210 and second 220 finger
(and therefore the distance between the first 230 and second 240
user input contact point) without this changing the selected range.
Vice versa, the user can first select a value and then select a
range if the angle 340 is determined based on the first location
310 and the distance 370 is determined based on the second location
360. This can allow a user to first select a brightness level (e.g.
`dim 10%` selected from the set of ranges dim `0, 10, 20 . . . 90,
100`) and then select a color range (e.g. `soft white`, `cool
white`, `daylight`).
[0040] As another example, the first location 310 can be used
merely to trigger the event of showing the user the current value
(e.g. through a user interface), after which the second location
360 that the user's finger moves to is used to determine the range
and the third location (not shown) that the user's finger moves to
is used to determine the value. Again, this can be implemented vice
versa with the second location 360 determining the value and the
third location determining the range. As yet another example,
multiple user input values can be received through this method,
such as when the first location 310 determines both distance 320
and angle 340 for a first user input of a value and the second
location 360 determines both distance 370 and angle 380 for a
second user input of a value. Also, in an embodiment the first user
contact point 230 can move from a first location to a second
location (not shown), where the imaginary anchor point 260 moves so
as to remain in the same relative position to the first user
contact point 230. This prevents the user from having to keep the
first user contact point 230 in (exactly) the same area while
performing the gesture.
[0041] In other embodiments, aspects of the movement detected can
determine the first 310, second 360 and third location, such as
when the second user input contact point 240 moves from the first
310 to the second 360 location with a speed of 1 centimeter per
second and from the second 360 to the third location with a speed
of 2 centimeters per second. Likewise, a change of direction of the
detected movement or a change in pressure (e.g. when a touch input
device with a pressure sensitive touch interface is used) can be
the basis for determining first 310, second 360 and third
locations. As a further example, the step of selecting as user
input a value can be delayed until the second user input contact
point 240 remains in the same location for a predetermined amount
of time, preventing accidentally selecting an incorrect value; or
no value is selected if the user removes both fingers 210, 220 from
the imaginary plane 200 at the same time, allowing a user to
`cancel` the gesture.
[0042] FIG. 4 shows an image based input device for receiving as
user input a value according to the method of the invention. A
camera 400 has a field of view 410 in which a user (not shown)
makes a gesture towards the camera. The camera 400 has a (wired or
wireless) connection 420 to a processor 430. The processor 430
analyzes the image captured by the camera 400 and detects a first
230 and second 240 user input contact point in an imaginary plane
200. As an example, the camera 400 can be stereoscopic and create a
three dimensional image allowing the processor 430 to more
accurately determine the distance between the first 230 and second
240 user input contact point in the imaginary plane 200, as well as
the angle between the first imaginary line (not shown) from the
first user input contact point 230 to the second user input contact
point 240, and the second imaginary line (not shown) from the first
user input contact point 230 to a predefined imaginary anchor point
(not shown) in the imaginary plane 200. The processor 430 further
selects a range of values, from a set of such ranges of values,
based on the determined distance; and selects as user input a
value, within the range of values, based on the determined angle.
Through a (wired or wireless) connection 440 between the processor
430 and a user device 450 the value selected as user input can be
transmitted to the user device 450. As an example, the user device
450 can be a television and the gesture made by the user allows for
selection of a range (e.g. TV channels or TV volume settings) and a
value within the selected range (e.g. `Channel 1 . . . Channel 20`
or `Sound off, low volume . . . high volume`). As another example,
the user device 450 can be a wall mounted clock and the gesture
allows the user to set the time by selecting a range (e.g. hours or
minutes) and a value (e.g. `00 to 23 hours` or `00 to 59 minutes`).
The camera 400 and processor 430 can, for example, be integrated in
the user device 450 (e.g. TV, wall mounted clock) or be implemented
in a (smart) phone with a camera.
[0043] FIG. 5 shows a tablet computer 500 with a touch sensitive
screen 510 for receiving as user input a value according to the
method of the invention. The user touches with a first 210 and
second 220 finger the touch sensitive screen 510. The illustration
shows the user touching the touch sensitive screen 510 with one
finger 210, 220 of each hand, however fingers from the same hand
can be used or two users can each use one finger. In a further
example, multiple fingers are used, other body parts are used or a
stylus like device is used instead of or in addition to a finger.
The tablet computer 500 detects via the touch sensitive screen 510
a first 230 and second 240 user input contact point and selects as
user input a value according to the method of the invention. The
selected value can be used, for example, as user input in a
dialogue screen in an application or a system menu. As a further
example, the user input can be used to change settings (e.g.
volume, brightness) of the tablet computer 500 without a user
interface being displayed on the touch sensitive screen 510 (e.g.
the screen 510 can be off or the user interface shown on the screen
510 does not relate to the action performed by the gesture). As a
further example, the tablet computer (500) can have physical
buttons (520, 521, 522) that allow a user to fine tune the
selection of the value, such as when the user makes first selection
using a gesture and then decreases the value using a physical
button (520), increases the value using a physical button (522) and
selects the value as final user input using a physical button
(521).
[0044] FIG. 6A, 6B, 6C, 6D show multiple steps of a user providing
as user input a value via a tablet computer 500 according to the
method of the invention. In a first step (FIG. 6A) the tablet
computer 500 provides, through the touch sensitive screen 510, a
button 600. This button can be visible or invisible (e.g. a `hot
zone`). When the user touches the button 600 (FIG. 6B) the current
value 610 is shown ("01:45"). In this example, the current value
610 is a timer function set to count down from 1 hour and 45
minutes to zero (e.g. a cooking timer). Two elements are displayed
620, 630 on the touch sensitive screen 510, each element relating
to a range of values. The first element displayed 620 partially
surrounds the button 600 where the first user input contact point
230 was detected. The second element displayed 630 partially
surrounds the first element 620. The first element 620 shows, in
this example, four values relating to selecting minutes in
increments of 15 minutes ("0 minutes", "15 minutes", "30 minutes"
and "45 minutes"). The second element displayed shows, in this
example, eight values relating to selecting hours ("0, 1 . . . 6, 7
hours").
[0045] In a next step (FIG. 6C) the user uses a second finger 220
to create a second user input contact point 240 in the first
element 620. The first 230 and second 240 user input contact points
are located in the imaginary plane 200 that is, in this example, (a
part of) the surface of the touch sensitive screen 510. In this
example the user selects the value "30 minutes" from the range
"minutes in 15 minute increments" that the first element displayed
is related to. The user then (FIG. 6D) moves the second user input
contact point 240 to an area of the second element 630 displayed on
the touch sensitive screen 510. The user thereby selects the value
"3 hours" from the range ("0, 1 . . . 6, 7 hours") related to this
second displayed element 630. After each selection of a value from
a range of values, the current value 610 is updated; first from
"01:45" to "01:30" as the value "30 minutes" is selected and then
from "01:30" to "03:30" as the value "3 hours" is selected. The
user can then (not shown) move the first 210 and second 220 finger
away from the touch sensitive screen 510 of the table computer 500,
after which the tablet computer 500 resorts to the first step (FIG.
6A).
[0046] It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments
illustrate rather than limit the invention and that those skilled
in the art will be able to design alternative embodiments without
departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any
reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be constructed
as limiting the claim. The word `comprising` does not exclude the
presence of elements or steps not listed in a claim. The word "a"
or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a
plurality of such elements. In the unit claims enumerating several
means, several of these means can be embodied by one and the same
item of hardware. The usage of the words first, second and third,
etcetera do not indicate any ordering. These words are to be
interpreted as names. No specific sequence of acts is intended to
be required unless specifically indicated.
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